Quick answer: Foreigners from third countries find it easiest to get a job in Slovakia in so-called shortage occupations — these qualify for a fast-track process, and the labour office issues the confirmation of a vacancy within 15 working days. The list is maintained by the Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family and is updated every quarter. Below you will find how it works and where to look.
What are shortage occupations and why are they good for foreigners?
These are jobs that long cannot be filled by domestic applicants, and the list is published quarterly by the Central Office of Labour. For these positions, the labour office issues the confirmation of a vacancy without assessing the labour-market situation, which makes the whole process much faster.
A major change has applied since 2023: foreigners in shortage occupations can be employed in all districts — the previous condition of under 5% unemployment in the district was abolished.
Which occupations are most in shortage in Slovakia?
The biggest demand is in healthcare professions, the IT sector and truck transport. There is also a strong shortage in manufacturing, construction, logistics and gastronomy.
You will always find the current list by district on the Central Office of Labour website — it changes every quarter.
What permit does a third-country national need?
The most common route is temporary residence for the purpose of employment combined with a confirmation of the possibility of filling a vacancy. For highly qualified positions there is the Blue Card, and for selected professions a national visa — which is, however, temporary, approved for a limited time and number of places, and ties the foreigner to the original employer.
The quota also matters: the share of third-country workers at an employer rose from 30% to 45%.
How fast is hiring a foreigner in a shortage occupation?
For a shortage position, the office issues the confirmation within 15 working days. If it is not a shortage position or the share of foreigners exceeds 45%, the vacancy must be reported at least 20 working days in advance and the office assesses the labour-market situation.
Where to find jobs in shortage occupations?
Surikado also lists positions in shortage occupations that employers fill with third-country nationals. Free advice on residence and visas is also provided by the IOM Migration Information Centre; the official list is kept by the Central Office of Labour.
Try Surikado: over WhatsApp you say what you can do and receive suitable offers — or Surikado Interview AI interviews you over a call. No CV and no registration.
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